HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Benedictine opens playoffs with 45-0 rout of Tattnall County

Dennis Knight @DennisKnightSMN

Friday

Nov 9, 2018 at 10:35 PMNov 9, 2018 at 10:35 PM

Tattnall County took the opening kickoff and a few plays later was threatening in Benedictine territory Friday night at Savannah State’s T.A. Wright Stadium.

But linebacker John Dodd came off the edge and forced a fumble by Warrior quarterback Tyler Yancey. Coleman Marini scooped it up started rolling down the left sideline, before he was stopped after a 35-yard return.

Seven plays later, quarterback Carter Geriner hit Rico Powers for a 7-yard touchdown pass, and the Cadets never looked back as they dominated Tattnall in a 45-0 win in the first round of the GHSA Class 3A playoffs.

BC (10-1) will host Westside Macon next Friday at SSU.

“I saw green grass in front of me, and I used to be a tight end, so I had a little flashback there for a minute,” said Marini, a senior. “He was able to catch me, but it was still a great play.”

Dodd, a junior who entered the game with 78 tackles, said he thought Marini was gone.

“It was a blitz and the quarterback was rolling right,” Dodd said. “I kicked it into second gear and got him. I thought Marini was going to score, but he got hawked.”

The Cadets went to work after that. Powers, a highly-regarded junior, had another big night. He rushed for 66 yards and a score and caught two passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns. His second came on a post pattern, where he bolted past a defender and ran under a ball that Geriner laid out into the open field for a 61-yard score.

North Carolina State co-defensive coordinator Ted Roof was on hand to watch Wolfpack commit Jakeen Harris, who is being recruited as a safety, along with other Cadet prospects.

Harris showed off his versatility on the first play of the second quarter when he lined up as quarterback in the wildcat formation. He found a seam on the left side of the field and went untouched for a 47-yard touchdown run that put BC up 21-0.

Carter Morgan scored on a 4-yard run and James Epps added a 4-yard touchdown to round out the first-half scoring for BC, which led 35-0 at intermission — forcing a running clock in the second half.

Morgan rushed for 52 yards on four carries, and Geriner was 9 of 13 passing for 147 yards and two scores for BC. Trent Broadnax had five catches for 53 yards. Nahshon Copeland had an interception and Jaden Hardy had another sack, giving him 10.5 on the season.

“We have to work on a few things, but the kids came out and took care of business tonight,” BC coach Danny Britt said. “They played hard and had fun. It’s going to be a huge difference though playing in the second round. That’s when things are going to get real.”

TC;0;0;0;0;—;0

BC;14;21;3;7;—;45

First Quarter

BC—Rico Powers 7 pass from Carter Geriner (Gavin Stewart kick)

BC—Carter Morgan 4 run (Stewart kick)

Second Quarter

BC—Jakeen Harris 47 run (Stewart kick)

BC—James Epps 4 run (Stewart kick)

BC—Powers 3 run (Stewart kick)

Third Quarter

BC—Stewart 34 FG

Fourth Quarter

BC—Powers 61 pass from Geriner (Stewart kick)

Records—BC 10-1; TC 2-9.

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